Our Family Tragedy
by IceAge Mutant
Summary: "It was nothing but a burden, a parasite!" Tragedy hits the herd as they lose a greatly anticipated member
1. Chapter 1

**since i got a lot of positive reviews on doing a sequel to Not Exactly, here it is!**

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><p><em>All the his fucking pain I went through. All my hopes had gotten too high. Why did I think this would be a good idea? Why did I go through with this? I was so stupid!<em>

I look at the small pile of fur between my paws. I should have known. It was too small, too weak. I hated it. It was nothing but a parasite to me.

I then hear footsteps outside the den, Sid's excited voice echoing into the damp air around me. I'll just have to show them.

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><p>"This is all my fault..." I whisper to myself. I was the reason this all happened. "God I am so stupid!" We both knew that Shira couldn't have cubs. I should have just pushed her away when she went into heat. But no, because she couldn't have cubs I thought to myself 'hey what could happen?'<p>

We had been on a week long hunting trip, we were resting for the night. Nobody was around. I started to notice a at the beginning of the week. Shira had been unusually moody, going from almost ripping out my throat to giving me a full body groom within a few minutes. Then the scent started. All I wanted to do was mount her, but I had more respect for her then that. When she suggested this hunting trip, I took it up immediately. We would be away from the herd, and we would be alone.

'If I had just kept my head on straight and not giving into those stupid hormones'.

I remember chasing her through the forest, tackling dear out of nowhere, and continually chasing after each other. That's when I figured out she was in heat. She was testing me through the run, instinct making her figure out if I was worthy. We were in a courting challenge. We ran through a small valley dotted with waterfalls and streams. She ran to one of the pools under the falls to get a drink, and I followed suit. We stood next to each other, and I don't know what came over me,,I was most likely was trying to show off. I jumped into the pool of water before us, came up to only grab Shira and pull her in with me. I had already taught t her how to swim, so she didn't need my help. We just paddled around each other until we got to a shallower end where Shira laid down in the small amount of water surrounding us. I stood over her, looking at her beautiful face that was dappled with water droplets. Leaning in, I gently planted a kiss on her lips. She pulled me in closer, and I sank into the kiss. We spent the next few minutes in the shallow pool, pressing our lips together, and trading off with who was on top of the other. At one point I had her on top of me, one of her paws on top of my chest, the other gently brushing my face. Something felt different, but I didn't know what. She got off me, and walking behind the waterfall in front of us, and I followed her. We ended up finding a cave behind the vale of water. We laid down and started grooming each other, and this led to our lips again being locked together for a good amount of time. Soon though the that feeling came back. I felt stronger, in control, I felt as if I could take on anything. I pushed Shira onto the ground, our lips still locked together, but we we both acting more aggressive. Something about her eyes was different. Too wanting, too lustful. She broke us apart, got up and started to circle me, an unsettling glint in her eyes. When she got back in front of me she turned around so that she wasn't facing me, and she ever so slietly pushed her hips up of the ground. She had taken the position, and now it was my turn. I mounted her, gripping the skin on her neck between my teeth, and put my front paws at her side. The rest of the night was filled with our moans and roars. And the rest of the week was spent in a simple pattern: wake up, hunt, mate, sleep. But it had to come to an end. We didn't expect this, as I said before, we both thought Shira couldn't have cubs.

Time went on. I remember the day that she told me she was pregnant. She was so scared and I was just confused, but after I got over the shock, I was extremely excited for our new life as parents. After a little while we moved out of the herds clearing to find our own den, Shira had told me that most females would want to be alone during the birth. Throughout her pregnancy Shira as always nervous of what was to come, I guess instinct told her something was wrong. Last night she went into labor, she pushed me out of the den, much to my distaste, and I spent most of the night listening to her groans and roars of pain. After what felt like hours she stopped. When I tried to enter the cave all I got was a face full of teeth and her yelling at me to get out. Another excruciatingly long amount of time went by before Shira finally let me in. And that's when I saw our daughter for the first time. My eyes filled with tears when I first saw her, she was one of the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen. Her pelt was golden like mine, but she had dark brown stripes along her tiny legs and one long line running the length of her small body. The only thing that worried me was HOW small she was. She was too small for any healthy cub. But we overlooked that, we thought that she would grow with age. So we spent the rest of the night together, the first saber family on this island. Shira groomed the cub until her thin fur was soft and fluffy, she let me hold the cub between my paws for a few minutes before taking her back. It was the first night of bonding, and to be honest, it was one of the best nights of my life. I dreamed of training our daughter to hunt and fight, imaging her the first time she would bring down her first kill. But our little slice of heaven on earth was abruptly shattered when I woke up to Shira crying. I sprang up, afraid that she or the cub were injured or being attacked. But the scene before me almost wish it were like, that at least then I could help in someway. Shira huddled the cub in her paws, it's small fragile body limp. When I bent down to see what was wrong the scent of cold death wafted up my nose. Our little miracle cub was dead.

My eyes filled with tears, and I sat down with Shira to try and comfort her, after all, females usually have a close bond with the cub, even right after the birth. Hours went by and I left the cave to clear my head. Now I'm sitting in front of the entrance waiting for... Well I don't really know.

Suddenly I hear footsteps, many footsteps, coming our way. Not knowing if it's a threat or not I get up into a defensive position, but instead I'm greeted by the herd, all,of them were there and they are all babbling about something that I can not make out. I look at them confused "Uhh... Guys what are you doing here?" I ask, only to be picked up and squeezed in a rib crushing hug by the trunk of Ellie.

"OH MY GOSH DIEGO!" She yelled into my ear. "We are just so happy for you and Shira! Is she still in the cave with the baby?" She put me down only for Sid to smack into me.

"Hey buddy! Just to let you know if you ever need a babysitter I'm here for you" he was then pushed out of the way by Peaches.

"No way uncle Sid! If they ever need a babysitter their going to call me! Besides you're terrible with kids." The two of them then started to argue

Crash and Eddie then jumped off of Ellie's back.

"How many are there?" Asked Eddie.

"Boys or girls? Please tell me their boys." Said Crash.

It was total chaos around me. I searched for Manny through the crowd, only to see him in the back giving me a strange look.

"Guys?" I say, but they all just keep talking.

"Guys!" Still no one hears me?

"GUYS!" I yell, but another voice joins in. I look up to Manny who pushes his way in front of me, his eyes glinting with sorrow.

'Of course he knew what was wrong! He went through the same thing when he lost his first family' I think to myself.

"Let him speak" Manny says, glaring at everyone.

"Thanks buddy." I say to him giving him a grateful glance. "Ok, first of all how did you guys know Shira had the cub?"

"Well she looked like she was close to giving birth in the first place," says Ellie "and we could hear her all the way back at the camp. Only childbirth can make that girl of yours sound like she was in so much pain."

I look at all of them and then let out a sigh. "Look guys, thanks for coming, but it's not really a good time. You should all really go."

"Why? All we want to do is see the cub" Says Peaches walking up to me. I'm about to tell them to leave when I hear Shira's voice behind me, and I turn around.

"You want to see the cub." She's looking down at her feet were the small bundle of fur is. She's shaking with a mix of fear and anger. "Well here you go!" She picks up to carcass in her jaws and throws it at the feet of the herd where in slides to a stop, then she turns back and runs to the cave.

"SHIRA! How could you?" Ellie says leaning down to see if the cub is alright, but then she lets out a whisper "oh..."

I run back to the cave after Shira, only to find her facing the wall.

"Why did we think this would work out?" She whispered as I get closer to her. "That cub was nothing but a burden, a parasite!" She turns around to face me, fresh tears streaming down her face. I get down on the ground with her and put my four leg around her and pull her into my chest.

"I'm sorry" I say, looking down at her.

She sniffles "for what?"

"I shouldn't have mated with you. When I first asked you to be my mate you turned me down for a good reason, even the way you were treated by those other males should have made it clear you would not want to mate ever again."

"Diego" she says looking up at me "I did want to mate with you, I just.. I just thought it would be impossible to ever have cubs. That's why I didn't hold back on you after you said you were ok without having kids"

"Hey it's ok, let's just-" I'm cut off by Manny poking his head into the cave

"Do you mind talking to us out here?" His tone is sympathetic, yet some how relieving. Me and Shira look at each other and then get up and walk out of the cave.

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><p><strong>Im sorry for the feels, wait no im not, MUHAHAHA! next chapter should be up soon, and then after that i will put up the last and final instalment of this sieres.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**SO ya here's the next chapter. enjoy**

**Ch2**

We stood over the small grave that we made. It was now only me, Diego, Ellie and Manny. The rest of the herd went home a little while ago, and to be honest, I was somewhat glad it was just the four of us.

When we came outside Manny started to try and calm me down, which I really needed after my outburst. With my permission he asked if it would be alright if we could bury the cub, I said yes it was probably for the best anyways, at least then I wouldn't have to look at it any more.

So now it's just the four of us, two couples,one were parents trying to console the other that has just lost their only child.

"If it had to die, I wish it would have been still born..." I say to no one in particular.

"Whys that?" Ellie asks, looking at me from the side of Manny.

"Then we wouldn't have gotten attached to it..." I take a shaky breath. "Besides it wouldn't have felt anything."

"Shira, it died in it's sleep" says Diego, softly nudging me with his head. "It couldn't have felt a thing."

"How do you know that!?" A retort. "It could have been suffocating for all we know! Hell, it could have just died from being too cold!"

Diego gazes at me with what could only be tolerance. "Listen to me Shir, we couldn't do anything to about it. It was born to weak and too small. Even if it had lived for more then one night we couldn't be sure if it catch some illness or get attacked by something."

I try to steady my breathing to calm myself down. "I know... It's just...frustrating"

We stay there in silence a little longer. Ellie finally speaks up.

"You both know how sorry all of us are for your loss." She says to me and Diego, and we nod in response. "Stuff like this just shouldn't happen, but in the end I guess everything has to die. That's just how life works." She starts to walk away, before turning to us one more time. "Just remember," she says, giving a loving smile "we're always here for you guys, all of us." She then proceeds back to the herds clearing.

Now it's just Diego, me, and Manny left. Surprisingly Manny has barely talked this entire time, not since we left the cave. I guess he understand what we're going through. He finally speaks after some more silent moments.

"I know what it's like to lose a family." He says. He sounds so exhausted you'd think he was the one up all night grieving. "But at least the two of you still have each other..."

'He does have a good point' I think to myself

"When my first family died I was left alone." He says. "No mate, no child, no herd, no one. But being in a herd in times like this do help. As Ellie said, we're all here for you. Even the possum brothers, as hard as it is to believe."

He turns away from the grave to look at us. "Just remember it could be worse."

He then leaves, his big form heading back home. Out of all the words I heard today, those were the most uplifting. Not "sorry", not "we hope you two will be ok", it was "remember it could be worse".

He's right. I could still be on that stupid ship, or worse a rogue saber, all alone. Instead I have an amazing herd and an amazing mate to fallback on when times get rough.

"He's right you know." Diego says, looking at me with his hazel eyes that have a bit of their spark back in them. "It could be a lot worse, I couldn't have you with me, but I do. That just makes my life so much better." He gives me one of his signature smirks, and I feel like it's been an eternity since I've seen one.

I give him a soft kiss and then pull away, looking at him.

"Yeah," I say "at least we still have each other."

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><p><strong>so i hope u guys liked this short story (ya i know this chapter is extremely short) so i will start the third and final installment soon.<strong>

**P.S. what do u guys think the final installment will be about, i want to know**


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